


Atlas Shadow

by Kurookami_no_Kuraitsuki



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, It wasn't exactly planned, Will add tags as I go, Will only loosely interact with canon, exploring the universe, neutral character?, really - Freeform, some things just wrote themselves without my input
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:35:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25399261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurookami_no_Kuraitsuki/pseuds/Kurookami_no_Kuraitsuki
Summary: Winter is supposed to catch a thief. Instead, she catch a young woman with a powerful semblance, and offer her a chance.Pale thought she would drift throught life, unseen and unfelt. So, how does she end team leader in Atlas academy? Oh, well, she could cope.





	Atlas Shadow

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, Kuro here. I know, I know, I start again a new story. But, well, I'm a bit roadblocked on the other and this one was sitting on my computer. And Shiro keep egging me on. Anyhow, I still hasn't seen the end of the last season of RWBY. The story is full of OC with only appearance of the canon character and will run against them. Meaning that when RWBY travel, they will be helping beacon, then helping Mistral and so on.
> 
> Neither me nor Shiro are native speaker of english. If you see problem, or fault, feel free to notify us.  
> If you want better description of character, with like, a character sheet, ask, I'm not too sure its very clear.

Winter was done. So fucking done with this mission. Oh, it wasn’t a hard or very dangerous one. A simple case of multiple thieveries. Clothes, food, some dust and weapon parts. Little quantity, nothing that seemed to even hint to a big thing. No, the reason it was infuriating was that none remembered seeing anything. No suspicious person, not even the face or distinctive trait. Always done in the place lacking camera. It was… maddening. Maybe she should install camera in someplace…

In a dust shop, a man was making purchase, paying at the counter, talking idly with the merchant. He paid, and got out, letting the merchant look back as his wares. Only to find several dust crystals gone and a bunch of weapons parts and material. He swore.

Another place robbed blind, and still no hint. It was starting to get on her nerves. But she was at least comforted in her opinion that it was only one person alone. Now, if she could find a place to be… Hum. The thief seemed to target mainly this area, near the docks, and stayed away from the more heavily guarded place, where the cameras were scarcer. Maybe….

She looked with incredulity the young girl who waved inside the flow of shoppers, stuffing food in a bag, before simply getting out. She didn’t have much to do, thanks to the awkward angle of the cameras, since she needed to keep them as out of sight than possible. Female. Solid boots and a black sweat, hood over her head, hiding the grey hair under. Now, how to get her?

She ended capturing her by total accident. The siren roared all around, as three giants grimm was coming by the sea, and a massive flock of grimms, thousands of them. Panic took over, as citizens fled to safety. She was one of the first dispatched, and one of the first to see grimms popping out of the ground. They have creeped by the underground water way. She prepared for a fight, trying to keep track of the mechas firing away on the beowulf and wendigos packs, and the citizens still trapped in between all that. A claw swipe got a bit too close, but before she could retaliate, its head exploded. A perfect, noiseless, head shoot. The fight became a slaughter after that. She didn’t know who was supporting her, but ground exploded under paws, or group were paralyzed by electricity ramping on the ground, letting her crush them. The few who actually passed the anti-air battery were shoot down with extreme prejudice, wing being torn apart by sharp wind. A strange wind bullet, for sure, but an efficient one. It was a relative short invasion, with all the weapon and technology around. The atlas knight reported the assistance of a young woman. She blinked, scanning around her, seeing nothing but dissolving grimms and empty streets. She frowned, asking them to show her where the girl was…. Only for them to point an empty place. She gave a hand sign to order them to catch what they were seeing. Two moved, and seemed to catch each an arm of someone, only she still didn’t see anything. She reached forward, and touched something solid. Two pale eyes, nearly crystallin in color looked back at her, blinking in shock, before being turned away, in shyness. The girl seemed young. Barely at the age where she could go at the academy, if even that. She should be in school, not wandering the street and fighting grimms. She blinked, and let her instinct take over. She clasped handcuff on her hand.

She looked at the nervous girl in front of her, fidgeting, and reaching to tug her hood over her head, trying to hide her face. It was… interesting. She entered the interrogation room.  
\- So, who are you? You do not exist in any database.  
\- Name is… Pale. Winter raised an eyebrow. A false name, then. The chance that she has to think for her name was low, at the very best.   
\- And, what were you doing outside like that?  
She shrugged.  
\- Just… walking around.  
\- Curious that no one remember seeing you, then.   
\- Being seen is… hard. She murmured  
Interesting. This statement could hide several things.  
\- Meaning?  
\- Not every semblance can be turned off.  
\- So, your semblance hid you from the regard of others. How does it work?  
\- Suggestion, mainly. Anything with aura just… don’t register me. The see me, hear me, smell me, they just… don’t compute it.  
\- Hence why camera or machine can catch you.  
\- Yeah. And Grimm too. I can hide from them too, but it’s a different thing, and more aura intensive. Hiding from aura is just… passive.   
\- So, stealing?  
\- Hard to buy something when people don’t see you. Hard to win money too.  
\- Family?  
\- Don’t have one. Raised eyebrows. She shrugged, and Winter decided to not push. She couldn’t condone stealing, but a semblance erasing your own presence that couldn’t really be turned off? If in addition it manifested young… well. She sighed, pinching her nose.  
\- Who taught you to fight?  
She shrugged.  
\- Picked thing here and here. Dustnet is a wonderful place, so is the library. And observation.  
\- You weapon?  
\- Made it myself.  
Impressive. The dozen of Karambit were well made. The dark handle and the curved blade were solid. The mechanisms were streamlined, nearly invisible until they were activated. She put them on the table.  
\- Show me. Let see if she was ready to cooperate further. The girl gave a wary look, before her hand flied over it. They ghosted over the handle, flicking over the silver point on the handle, reveling the inside, some with dust cartouche, others with crystal. She flipped three of them in her hand, fingers sliding inside the rings, who stuck together, the blade slipping over the handle, becoming a clawed American fist. She seemed happy with the shift, flipping them over, keeping all of them on one finger. The blade retracted in the handle, as a trigger popped out, a hard-light string relying the tips of the two others curved blade. The rings of the prod got up. 0.5 second for the claw shift, and 1.3 from the claw to pistol-crossbow. Dexterous hand, and clearly well trained to handle several curved knives and shifting them around.   
\- The rings are magnetized. She acknowledged. She looked at the raised ring that seemed to serve as barrel. The bolt?  
\- Formed with the dust of one of the three dust charged in the arbalest. It’s formed in the rings, before being drawn into shape by the cord moving back. Or I put one of my grapnels.  
\- These? She asked, putting the strange little iron piece, with four little spikes on the sides, who hold in between her fingers. She nodded, pressing with a bit of aura on the silver point. A clank was heard, as the spike deployed themselves, clamping into the metal table, as the core was exposed. A silvery cylinder, the size of a piece, and engraved on it…  
\- A runic array, engraved and miniaturized, encasing dust.  
\- I’m… impressed that you can recognize it.  
\- A beautiful craftmanship.   
It has to be created by hand too, since you need aura to create the runic array. The girl was impressive, really impressive. Quite smart too from what she has seen, and tech able. And a powerful semblance, in addition to seemingly powerful aura, to keep it running so long. Well.  
\- So right now, you have two options. The first, is prison, for thieveries. The second… you can join Atlas Academy.  
\- I’m sorry?  
\- Atlas Academy. You have talent, a good head and a powerful semblance. You’re also composed and ready to act. So. You come to Atlas, train for four years, become a huntress, then we forgot your debt.  
\- And how do I pay for the schooling?  
\- Scholarship.   
She seemed to think it over, eyes shifting anxiously, and hand twitching toward her hood.  
\- I don’t have to engage in Atlas military after.  
\- No. Just becoming a huntress.  
She sighed.  
\- Fine. I will do it.

She looked around, at the well-lit buildings, the countless security cameras, the well paved road, without any crack or holes. Clean clothes, well washed face, pristine color and barely any faunus. She lowered her hood some more, semblance wrapping around her in answer, a bit tighter, as the eyes slide over her. Splash of color here and here, slowly inching toward the biggest building. She followed, rapidly arriving in the massive hall of the school. It was… clean. And like always, holographic display everywhere. It was so streamlined, designed to be efficient, and a bit cold, in neutral color and blue. Well. At least she was protected from the cold. Now, she just needed to wait. She found a corner out of the way, she didn’t need to be stepped on. A mic crackled to life, as the crowd attention turned on the little estrade. Ironwood was here.  
\- I would like to welcome you all to Atlas Academy, hopeful hunters and huntress.   
She tuned out the rest. Basically, all hail to the heroes, and we are hoping that you will stay here to protect our glorious and illustrious nation. Yeah, right. A few others people seemed to be from the same mind, mainly faunus, and the more colored. Then again, those that boasted their colors wouldn’t do well in a highly conformist environment like the army, or even Atlas. She continued to tap nervously her feet. Finally, he announced the practical exam.

The bullhead was big. The fifty or so aspirants were fluttering around, weapon at the ready. They were going to be dropped in the tundra around a mine complex. Everyone as to get one card from the underground, before making their way to the landing area. A dozen has already jumped. Her name was called, and she came down in the hold, pulling her semblance back, and repressing it as much as she could. The professor nodded, the door opening, cold wind rushing against her, a white expanse under her. She sighed, happy for the new clothes, as she held the pale grey trench-coat closer. She jumped. Three karambit shifted in her hand in crossbow, as bolt of wind where fired, slowing her fall a bit. The ground crunched under her feet, as a cloud of snow was raised from the impact. She batted her hand to dissipate it, happy for the new battle boot she owned, the black leathers solid, and the sole made for all type of ground, snow tundra included. Walking around with her old trainers would have been so bad. A growl, and she sighed. Beowulfs. Well. A knife fly, killing one, as she rushed forward, claw gutting another, before being sent flying in another, piercing is thorax. Her semblance wrapped around her, hiding her from the view of all, as calm settled on her mind. She breathed, and moved.

She let her semblance unwind, as she recuperated her knives, amidst the disintegrating corpses. If she remembered well, the mine was north. Maybe she would encounter others aspirant on the way.

She startled at the explosion that seemed to pepper the entrance of the cave. She sped up, blinking at the scene that welcomed her. Five aspirants were badly injured, two others were slightly injured, as dozen upon dozen of grimms were around. Beowulfs, mainly, but a pride of sabyr was also here. And the main problem. A manticore. Only four aspirants were still battle ready. A braid of red hair caught her attention, as the girl blocked a hit with her red bo-staff, before palming the ground, who exploded under the feet of the sabyr. So, she was the origin of the explosions. She passed behind them, crossbow in her hands, semblance tight around her, hiding her. She shoots her first grapnel in the ground, as it deployed itself, clamping in the icy ground, spear of rock materializing, still hidden by her semblance. She ran forward, Boot impacting with the face of the beowulfs, who fell and impaled itself on her trap. Two more were shot, as she joined the guy who kept the manticore off their back. Four heavy white and gold shields orbited around him, two others in his hand, as he used the point to bash its head. She shot a fire bolt under its legs, activating the two trap she placed before. The ground erupted in a sea of fire.  
\- Damnit Frea! Keep your explosion under control! Complained the guy  
\- Not me! Protested red hair.  
\- Less talking, and more shooting, yes? Asked a black-haired man.   
A growl, but they turned back to the pack and pride, now that the manticore wasn’t here to stab them. It was easier now. They weren’t particularly smart after all. She has to dodge a few claw swipes though. Once over, everyone took stock of the wounded. The five couldn’t continue. The two lightly wounded were still combat able, but needed a bit of time. The violet haired girl proposed to stay with them, waiting for the pick up crew. Everyone nodded, and the three, followed by Pale, entered the undergrounds.  
\- So, maybe we should present ourselves, since we’re going to work together. Said the guys with shield, with a deep voice. I’m Chrom Argent. My weapons are these shield, who can also serve as gun, and channel dust, named Orbital Fortress.   
She observed the man. Tall and broad, well built. Blue hair, blue eyes, military cut. Grey pants, black military boots and tank top, silver chestplate, leather fingerless gloves, to better grip the handle of his shields. The shields themselves were solid, now that she could see them. The top part, and broader, was a hexagon, a triangle being the second part. A little hexagon, darker, seemed to hid the dust, and a hard light generator. Lines on the triangular part channeled the dust, and shell could be shot when punching. The handle themselves held a trigger.  
\- I’m Frea Amaranth, I’m a dust mage, and my weapon is a segmental bo-staff, that I name Wrath.  
The girl was quite amusing. Fiery red hair held in a long braid, steely blue eyes, wearing black pants, boots and sport bra, a white tank top and a red trench-coat similar to Pale own. Her two belt were full of pocket and dust. Her red bo-staff has an interesting function, an adaptive crystal head, at the end of every junction. So, she could channel magic from every bit of her weapon, huh?  
\- Well, I guess I can agree. Name Cole Silver. And these are Ebony and Enigma.  
The man seemed laid back, nearly lazy, eyes half closed. Black messy hair, but purple eyes too sharp, dementing his own attitude. Tanned skin. White shirt, green tie, black pants, and leather vest, white fur on the hood. His two weapons were the less impressive. Black gun with knife blade, no shifting. Solid, practical. She liked what she saw. They were competent, good weapons. She unwounded her semblance, before suppressing it, making them all jolt in surprise.  
\- Guess I’m going to share too.  
\- Where the hell are you coming from?! Exclaimed Frea, as Chrom tensed.  
\- I was here from the start? I know I’m hard to see. She added with a shrug, unbothered.  
\- So, who are you? Asked Cole, seeming unbothered by that.  
\- I’m Pale. Fade now. And these are Chameleon. I can pose trap, and make them explode, though I’m gonna restrain myself for now.  
\- Yeah, good ideas. Better not cause a cave in. accepted Cole. Frea huffed an agreement, seeming annoyed, as Chrom gave a small smile, before returning to his neutral face.  
\- Well, better keep going then. Added cheerfully Cole. Collective nods, as they started to walk in the tunnel. An old mine, if the large corridors and discarded old tools was any indication.   
\- Incoming. Called Chrom at the front, with a hard clang, as his shields deployed from their hexagonal shape. A swish and an ice shard was shot forward, courtesy of Frea. A snort of laughter, and several bullets were put in the flock of ravager.  
\- Flashy. Cole commented.  
Frea grunted, giving him the stink eyes. He shrugged with a false apological face. A huff. Well. Seem like these two didn’t get along that well. A blink, and she reacted, as centinels got out of ground. Two lightning bolts took care of it, and Chrom actually took the time to throw a thank into the void. He hasn’t seen who took care of them, so a good guess would be this Pale fellow. He bashed the head of another with his left shield, before cocking back his fist, an audible click, and punching, shotgun firing in the same movement, exploding the ground, and exposing two others centinels. One reared back, before jumping forward, only to be caught in his attraction, uselessly orbiting around him. A bullet took care of it.  
\- Hey man, let some for us, the world doesn’t revolve around you.  
An audible groan from Frea at the bad joke.  
\- I’m afraid that everything seems to just gravitate toward me.  
\- Really, puns? Asked, exasperated, Frea  
\- Well, banter breed friendship.  
\- We’re not friend, only temporary comrades. Retorqued Frea. A shrug was her answer. Chrom rolled his eyes, bashing a head in, as Pale downed two more. Finally, the place seemed clear.  
\- Let’s keep going. Declared Chrom  
\- And try not kill each other. Finished Pale, eyeing warily the duo, as she repressed her semblance.   
Frea grumbled when seeing her appear from thin air, even tough she was standing next to them since the start.

They have a few more encounter, little pack of Centinels, and a flock of ravagers, but nothing more. They arrived in a vast cave. A pedestal was on the center of a platform. They reached forward, and each placed the hand on it. The grey contraception opened, offering a card.  
\- I got the seven of heart. Commented Frea, looking at it in confusion.  
\- Same, but I got the diamond.   
\- Club for me. Said Cole  
\- And spade for me. Finished Pale.  
A beat of silence.  
\- Please tell me they don’t made the team like that. Pleaded Frea.  
Collective Shrug, before Chrom pat her on the back.  
\- Come on, we need to get back.  
A quake made them stumble.  
\- What the hell?! Asked Frea, as Pale faded from view, letting go of her semblance.  
Two people were running toward them, and behind them, a massive snake, big enough to obstruct the tunnels. They swore, deploying their weapon.   
\- Take your card, we’re covering you! Cried Pale, unwinding her semblance an instant, before setting her trap. The paralyzing trap kept it from moving forward. Basic fire and lighting bolt splashed on the scale, without much damage, and the bullet rebounded on it.  
\- Fuck. Swore lowly Chrom, bracing for the impact, shield deploying hard-light barrier in between themselves, he brought his arms in front of himself, shield digging in the ground, as the trap broke down, and the monster slammed against the fortress, making him skid on the ground. She growled, placing a hand on Frea shoulder. She startled.  
\- What’s your strongest spell?  
\- Non explosive? An ice-wind vortex. But I need a bit of time for….  
\- You got it. She declared, reaching for Cole. He nodded when she touched him.  
\- Can you keep the grimm concentrated on Chrom?  
\- Can do, ghost boss! He accepted cheerfully.  
He jumped forward, getting behind the crouched boy, whose shields made him a veritable fortress. He explained the plan, asking if he could hold. Chrom grunted, digging himself a bit more comfortable, as Cole danced around the grimm, keeping it occupied, and more than that, distracted. On the others side, Pale was occupied with trapping the hell of the two others tunnels, were a bunch of beowulfs were coming from. The two new members helped here too. The dark blue haired one shot them, as the dark red haired one ran at them like a mad woman. She shot with her bazooka, before slamming the barrel on the head of one, and swinging the newly shifted Warhammer in another, sending it flying.  
\- Incoming, two-person, right side. Called the blue haired. Pale swore, dashing forward to deactivate her trap. A sword woman flashed forward, beowulf falling in piece behind her, as a flying girl passed over them, raining doom.  
\- Get away! Roared Frea, a ball of sharp wind and ice in her hand. The two guys swore, jumping away, Chrom mildly panicked. The ball touched the massive grimm. A vortex of howling, sharp wind and ice happened, shredding it.  
\- You know what? That was badass.   
\- Thank you Cole. Commented drily Frea.  
A bullet was shot, killing the remaining grimm. They all turned toward the new comers. She was surprised to recognize them. The Sword woman was the girl who stayed behind. Her long dark purple hair was a bit singed. She reached to tug her ponytail back in order, violet eyes looking around. She wore black top and pants, with a purple kimono vest and zoori. How the hell didn’t she fell in that? The wakizashi strapped at the small of her back was damaged, but the long tachi that she wore with a shoulder strap was intact. So, maybe not as undamaged than previously thought.  
\- I’m Lapis Violet, thank for the assistance before, and now.  
\- Yeah, that was awesome! Oh, I’m Aera Bones.  
She was the winged one. Her bones white hair was choppy and messy. She had removed her aviator google, revealing falcon like yellow eyes. She wore a leather aviator bomber jacket, on a white sweat, the same color than her pants. Her leather boots were solid, and more practical than Lapis. Her wing was interesting. Blade that seemed to be held magnetically to the structure. Interesting. They could reach and cover her, shield her, and seemed to shoot energy projectile, in addition to be razor sharp.  
\- Ah! That was you guys. Well, if introductions are in order, I’m Grazz Grenat.   
She was as tall and buffer than Chrom, carrying her golden Warhammer like it weighted nothing. Dark red mane, and golden eyes, tanned skin. Her hands were bandaged. Dark red pants, white top and an open leather jacket, a warm brown. She seemed… Exuberant.  
\- Navy Slater. Good fight.  
That one seemed calmer. Blue short hair, blue eyes. A cool voice and androgynous figure, only reinforced by their clothes, white shirt, with a dark blue jacket and pants, silver pauldrons, armguard and chest plate. Their weapon seemed to be a lance, shifting in a precision rifle and assault rifle. A red cloth was attached at the end of the lance.   
\- Not that chatting around seem bad, but maybe we should move, yeah? Asked Aera, looking a bit nervous around. Collective nod, as everyone made their way out. The paths were thankfully cleared out. They blinked a bit when going out, the light being refracted on the snow harsh on the eyes after the relative darkness of the undergrounds. Well, now, they only have to climb the icy mountain. With a sigh, she readied her claw, metal biting at rock, but giving solid enough hold. The ascension was long and annoying, icy rock and freezing wind. They helped each other, and Area stayed near, ready to catch anyone who fell. Chrom and Navy as the more difficulty to climb. They were halfway in the climb, when a groan was heard.  
\- Incoming! Two Nevermore. Called Navy  
A chorus of groan, as they repositioned themselves. Pale repressed her semblance an instant.  
\- Aera, can you take care of one, and catch me after?  
\- Should be feasible.  
\- Good. You guys, keep climbing. She ended, fumbling with a grapnel, shifting her left claw to the crossbow, and putting it there. She waited. Aera signaled that she was taking the left one. She shot. A hard-light chain formed itself, and she clicked, letting herself be dragged by it. She stumbled before catching herself, claw sinking in its back to keep her anchored. She took a cartridge out from one of her pockets. A red one. She stabbed it inside. Added a few more. Shot her grapnel to the mountain. Felt the tug when its anchored itself. She jumped, heat rushing at her back, as the nevermore exploded up in flame. She winced at the impact with the cliff, slide a bit, before finding a hold. Tugged the grapnel free, shifted in claw again, and stored it.  
\- Gonna said, that was awesome. Commented Aera, settling not too far from her.   
She gave a nod, barely visible behind her semblance.  
They reached the top, a somewhat plane place, where a bullhead where waiting. The professor, a military like man, greying hair and hammer-rifle, noted something at his pad, before gesturing them to climb in.

They were looking around, waiting for the team placement, in the little crowd. Seem like all the years were here.   
\- Lapis Viola, Aera Bones, you brought back the black nines, and will be partners from now on. The duo came on the estrade. Grazz Grenat, Navy Slater, you brought back the red nines. You will be partners. The four of you will be part of Team LAGN (Lagoon), under the leadership of Lapis Viola.  
Polite clap, as they get back off, after a respectful bow.  
\- Pale Fade, Cole Silver. You brought back the black seven, and will for now on be partner. Frea Amaranth, Chrom Argent, you brought back the red Seven, and are now partners. You four will be part of Team PCFC (Pacific), under the leadership of Pale Fade.  
A moment of silence, where Pale became incredible pale, losing her grip on her semblance, and fading from view. Frea grumbled, giving a nasty glare to Cole, who gave a close eyed smile. Chrom sighed. This team was going to be a disaster.


End file.
